Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Patrick Blair to Hans Sloane – July 2, 1708
Item info
Date: July 2, 1708
Author: Patrick Blair
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4041
Folio: f. 181
Original Page
Transcription
Blair thanks Sloane for helping James Lyon, an aspiring apothecary. He is sorry that Mr Lane is an impediment to Lyon’s advancement and asks Sloane to recommend Lyon to other apothecary shops. Blair adds that he has completed his paper on elephants.
Patrick Blair was a botanist and surgeon whose papers were published in the Transactions. In 1715 Blair joined the Jacobite rebellion as a battle surgeon but was captured and condemned to death. He was visited by Sloane in prison in the hopes the latter might secure a pardon. Sloane was successful and the pardon arrived shortly before Blair’s scheduled execution (Anita Guerrini, Blair, Patrick (c.16801728), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/2568, accessed 31 May 2011]).
Posted on January 29, 2017 by Tracey Cornish -
William Courten, alias Charleton (1642-1702) was a naturalist and collector. He may have adopted the name Charleton to avoid creditors. Courten befriended Hans Sloane and Tancred Robinson while studying at Montpellier and was well acquainted with other physicians and scientists including Martin LIster and Leonard Plukenet. After his death Courten’s collection came into the hands of Sloane and the latter authored Courten’s epitaph
Reference:
(B. D. Jackson, ‘Courten , William (1642–1702)’, rev. A. J. Turner, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2006,[http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/6447, accessed 22 July 2014]).
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
Relationship to Sloane:
Virtual International Authority File:
Posted on January 31, 2017 by Tracey Cornish -
David Gregory was a mathematician and astronomer who published the first astronomy textbook to integrate Newton’s gravitational theory.
Reference
Anita Guerrini, Gregory, David (16591708), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/11456, accessed 24 June 2013].
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
Relationship to Sloane:
Virtual International Authority File:
Posted on February 5, 2017 by Amy Smith -
John Covel (Colvill, Covell) (1638-1722) attended Christ’s College Cambridge, obtaining a BA in 1658 and MA in 1659. He studied medicine and then served in office at Constantinople beginning in 1672. During this time, Covel collected paintings, coins, medals, books, curiosities, and manuscripts while studying the Greek Church. He returned to England and eventually became the master of Christ’s College and keeping up correspondence with may English scholars.
Reference:
Elisabeth Leedham-Green, ‘Covel , John (1638-1722)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, (Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2008 http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/6471 [accessed 4 July 2011]).
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
Relationship to Sloane:
Virtual International Authority File:
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Patrick Blair to Hans Sloane – October 11, 1708
Item info
Date: October 11, 1708
Author: Patrick Blair
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4041
Folio: ff. 219-220
Original Page
Transcription
Blair asks Sloane to meet with the bearer, Mr James, a mathematician wanting to be introduced to the Royal Society. Blair’s paper on elephants is nearly complete.
Patrick Blair was a botanist and surgeon whose papers were published in the Transactions. In 1715 Blair joined the Jacobite rebellion as a battle surgeon but was captured and condemned to death. He was visited by Sloane in prison in the hopes the latter might secure a pardon. Sloane was successful and the pardon arrived shortly before Blair’s scheduled execution (Anita Guerrini, Blair, Patrick (c.16801728), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/2568, accessed 31 May 2011]).
Posted on August 2, 2016 by -
Charles Preston to Hans Sloane – July 26, 1707
Item info
Date: July 26, 1707
Author: Charles Preston
Recipient: Hans Sloane
Library: British Library, London
Manuscript: Sloane MS 4040
Folio: ff. 382-383
Original Page
Transcription
Preston received Sloane’s and Willoughby’s books. He has distributed them amongst his society and to Sibbald. Preston thanks Sloane and compliments his work. He encloses a proposal from Dr McKenzie to have his work printed and inquires after Mr Doody’s affairs.
Preston was a physician and botanist who established a lengthy correspondence with Sloane, exchanging plants, seeds, books and information. His main interest was in botany, and was well-known by his contemporaries for his botanical knowledge (Anita Guerrini, Preston, Charles (16601711), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/47084, accessed 1 June 2011]).
Posted on January 29, 2017 by Tracey Cornish -
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
Relationship to Sloane:
Virtual International Authority File:
Posted on January 31, 2017 by Tracey Cornish -
Woodward was a physician, natural historian and antiquary who expounded a theory of the earth in which fossils were creatures destroyed by the biblical flood. This embroiled him in a controversy in which he was opposed by John Ray, Edward Llwyd, Martin Lister, and Tancred Robinson
Reference:
J. M. Levine, “Woodward, John (1665/1668-1728)”, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/29946, accessed 17 June 2011].
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
Relationship to Sloane:
Virtual International Authority File:
Posted on January 29, 2017 by Tracey Cornish -
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
Relationship to Sloane:
Virtual International Authority File:
Posted on January 29, 2017 by Tracey Cornish -
Sir Godfrey Copley was a politician and active member of the Royal Society. He was elected a Fellow of the latter in 1691 (
Reference:
C. I. McGrath, Copley, Sir Godfrey, second baronet (c.16531709, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/6269, accessed 24 June 2013]).
Dates: to
Occupation: Unknown
Relationship to Sloane:
Virtual International Authority File:
